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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24097948">Ruined Finale</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolo314/pseuds/Lolo314'>Lolo314</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Soul Eater</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Beauty and the Beast AU, Blackstar is a candle, F/M, Magic, SoMa Week, and Kid is a clock, blair is a bitch, lol, soul is sad again, that's a tag</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:27:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,164</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24097948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lolo314/pseuds/Lolo314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After an unexpected visitor curses Soul, he ends up locked in his own family's castle until he can break the curse and save them all. Porblem is, he doesn't know how.</p><p>Started during Soma Week<br/>Day 7: Magic</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maka Albarn/Soul Eater Evans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>  Soul’s fingers danced atop the keys, his eyes closed, allowing the music to guide him to an angry melody, beginning with low cords, gradually melting into a crescendo. His fingers hovered above the keys, ready to end with a dramatic minor when Wes stepped into the room, pulling the curtains open. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Most of the guests have arrived. You shouldn’t sit alone here.” Soul sighed before his hands landed on the clavier, creating a sound that could ruin anyone’s idea of the instrument forever. Wes quickly covered his ears, protesting loudly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You ruined my finale.” He slid off the bench, sighing dramatically. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I thought I made it clear that I don’t have any interest in attending…” he knew he would follow Wes in the end, being in no shape to face his father’s wrath, but he wasn’t going to make it easy for him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be, little brother.” He walked out of the room, gesturing for Soul to follow him. He ran his hand over the keys once, before moving to close the curtain once more. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’ve told you a billion times… The sun ruins the cords…” he followed Wes out the door, closing the door to his safe place for one last time, oblivious to what would become of it in a few hours.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> He had stayed glued to the wall for the entire duration of the party, only observing as his family and their servants worked to make the guests as comfortable as possible. Wes had tried to rope him into a few conversations, but quickly realized the depth of Soul’s distaste for every single person in the room. So they had left him alone, wanting to avoid him creating conflict with the other nobles. Monsters… Each and every one of them…  He snatched a glass of wine from a nearby servant, raising it with a grin before gulping it down, hoping it would make the event a little more bearable, considering the only person in the castle he could handle was currently engaging in boring conversations with stuck up men.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> When a loud knock on the front door sounded, after the celebrations had been going on for a few hours, everyone’s heads turned. Soul saw his father make his way to the door to greet their guest. He didn’t find any interest in the situation, assuming it as another rich man, hoping to make an entrance, until he noticed the commotion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What gives you the right to knock on our door?” his father’s voice gradually grew louder, silencing every guest. Soul’s feet moved on their own accord to take a good look at the man who could get such a rise out of his father. A woman, dressed in a long black gown, a simple necklace around her neck was the last things he expected . The mark of a witch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I am only here to offer some entertainment. The atmosphere in this room is not exactly my scene, but I can fix that. She moved to step in the house but the guards’ lances stopped her advances.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Seriously? I thought nobles like yourselves would show better hospitality.” She scanned the faces of the people gathered at the entrance until her eyes landed on Soul.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“And you must be the boy I’ve heard so much about. Soul Evans. Not very social, but I believe you’re good with music?” Soul glanced at his father, whose fists were shacking. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, his stomach turning. He opened his mouth to respond when Edward Evans finally snapped.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I will not allow this absurdity to continue. Get out of my house, witch. “the guards tried to close the doors, but she froze them with a flick of her wrist.  All at once the candles melted away and the witch appeared in the middle of them room. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I really was going to play nice. But I don’t tolerate men beneath me degrading me. Now… How should I punish you?” she was smiling broadly, enjoying herself as Edward was trying to maintain control.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You think we are scared of you?” he tried to sound confident, but Soul could see the sweat dripping from his forehead. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s all you have to say? I have to say, I am disappointed. I had heard you truly shine during negotiations. I suppose the rumors were wrong.” Her eyes fell on Soul once more. His blood ran cold, unsure if he should feel happy someone was speaking up to his father, or terrified of the witch threatening to punish them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do you think I should do?” he could only stare as she looked into his eyes, inching close with each passing moment. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hm. I would expect someone with so much creativity would have something to say… Pity. Oh well. I believe I have found the perfect punishment for you all.” Everyone’s eyes widened as she raised her palms. Chaos erupted when a bright light filled the room. Then there was silence. When Soul looked around him, everyone had disappeared. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Wh-What did you do?” his head shook frantically, trying to find any evidence of the bustling guests.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s better.” she turned her heel, moving towards the door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Wait! Where are you going? What did you do to my family?” he ran after her, only to collide with an invisible obstacle. He landed on his back, groaning by the impact. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“They’re all there, don’t worry. They’re just a little more… Inanimate? “ she chuckled, going down the steps, leaving him bewildered. She only looked back once, before disappearing into the night. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, I should mention, you can’t leave until your end of the deal is fulfilled. Your family’s fate rests in your hands. “he didn’t understand her at the time. He hadn’t made a deal. He didn’t know what it involved. He didn’t know where his family was. He was alone and scared to the bone and he had no idea how he was supposed to fix this.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Be Our Guest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maka placed the book in her satchel before making her way to town. She took her time strolling through the streets, observing the villagers going about their daily lives, occasionally stopping to buy food or to greet some of the less judgmental residents. She could feel people’s eyes on her as she entered the small library, trying her best to pretend she couldn’t see the disapproval in their gaze.</p><p>“Good morning Mr. Stein.” She returned the book she’d borrowed to its original place before setting off to pick another, scanning the shelves for any she might not have read.</p><p>“Good morning Maka. You’re back early. You were only here the day before yesterday.” He smiled as he addressed her. They had formed an unusual sort of friendship after she had first moved in with her father, considering her love for books as well the little traction his small library had. She was his only regular costumer.</p><p>“I couldn’t put it down. But I suppose you have nothing new yet?” it was a pointless question, considering she had already done a thorough search and found no new titles, but she asked anyways, hoping she had simply missed it.</p><p>“I’m afraid not. But you can reread any of your favorites.” He gestured to the small pile before returned to his sweeping. It took her a few minutes before settling for a long adventure novel. Although she had read it before, it was long enough to keep her company until a new shipment came.</p><p>“Let me know if anything new arrives!” she waved him goodbye before exiting to the busy street. It wasn’t her favorite place by any means, the atmosphere always unwelcome ever since she stepped foot in town for the first time, but there weren’t any other places to shop nearby. She decided to make a stop at one of the town’s fountains, sitting herself down and opening her book, thinking a breath of fresh air would help her relieve some of daily lives stress. She quickly realized it wasn’t one of her finest decisions.</p><p>“Do you have to do that in public? You wouldn’t want other girls to get ideas, thinking they should be reading. “she looked up to find the owner of the local tavern looking at her if she was committing a crime. It took all of her resolve not to throw the thick book on his bald head, knowing that would cause too much stir.</p><p>“Of course not. I mean, if men like yourself can’t read, why women should?” it was impossible to mask the venom in her voice when she addressed him before returning her attention to the words in front of her.</p><p>“Did you just insult me?” a sigh escaped her lips when she noticed him inching closer.</p><p>“You’re a smart man. I trust you can figure it out on your own.” Maka gathered her things before walking away, annoyed her evening was ruined. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his grip on her arm. She quickly snatched it away, turning around and bringing her hand to his cheek before she could think better of it. The loud thump her hand made when it landed on his face made it seem worth it, until she heard everyone around them gasp.</p><p>“How dare you lay a hand on me? I’ll show you not to mess with me!” she moved out of the way before his fist could land its target. This wasn’t how she wanted her day to go. The most reasonable people in the village had often warned her not to provoke, but she couldn’t bring herself to follow their advice. Men like him got her blood boiling and she had never been known for her self-restraint.</p><p>“You brat!” his attempted to hit her again, but she got there first, landing a fine kick between his legs. He cried in pain and Maka used this opportunity to move away from the scene, ignoring the looks of surprise and disgust around her.</p><p> Once she was safely out of sight she broke into a run, not stopping until she had closed the door of their small house behind her. By then her lungs were on fire and she had cursed herself about a hundred times for causing so more fuss. It wasn’t because of guilt, or because she thought her reacting was wrong. She only knew that the villagers would come knocking on her door, asking for an explanation.</p><p>“Maka?” her father’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She sighed, pushing herself off the door and walking to her room, shutting the door behind her. She didn’t want to hear it. Throwing herself on the pillow she thought back on her actions, holding back a smile when she remembered the look on the man’s face.</p><p>“Did something happen?” Spirit hesitantly opened the door, peeking his head inside. He was the last person she wanted a lecture about proper behavior from.</p><p>“Just a man with an inferiority complex…” the bed shifted as he sat himself on the edge of the small bed, the wood creaking from the weight.</p><p>“Look… I know this isn’t your ideal situation, but you must try not to provoke… We can’t go raising alarm. You know the people Maka. They’re close minded…” she shot up, her anger still seemingly controlling her.</p><p>“Are you excusing them? Do you know how much harassment I’ve had to endure all these years?” she stormed off, opening the front door only to be met with her least favorite person.</p><p>“Maka, good day. I heard about your little… outburst in town. I managed to hold them off, but I wanted to give you some advice.” She laughed, loudly, crossing her arms, glaring at Giriko, not feelings the least bit intimidated, despite him towering above her. Advice from Giriko? She had heard it all.</p><p>“You know the people here, Maka. You shouldn’t provoke them. I mean, reading in public? What were you thinking?” she moved to close the door, but he blocked it with his foot.</p><p>“If you would only consider putting all that behind you and found a suitable suitor, like me, for example. You would live the rest of your life with no worries occupying your little mind.” Every word that left his mouth added to the pile of anger she was feeling, threatening to let loose and she had no intention of stopping it.</p><p>“My mind is a small as your ego! And I’m not going to marry you so stay away from my house!” She screamed the words before shutting the door on his face, hearing him groan in pain as it collided with his nose. She made her way to the back door and run off, unwilling to talk to a single person in this damn village. Her legs carried her to one of the hills, looking off to the lake. Once she was standing near the edge, finally feeling safe from prying eyes, she let her body drop, landing on the moist grass.</p><p> As she starred at the sky above her, her thoughts wandered off, imagining a different life. A life in which she was surrounded by people who loved her for who she was, who didn’t try to change her or hold her back. <em>What a fantasy…</em></p><p> She felt completely and utterly alone. No one understood her dreams or her desire to be more than a wife and a tool for a man to use to his pleasure. She found herself drifting off, dreaming about another life, knowing it would never become reality.</p><p> </p><p> After the unfortunate events in town, her father had begged her to stay inside until the incident was forgotten, knowing full well how she hated staying cooped up inside.</p><p> It was particularly apparent when something went mildly against her wishes.</p><p>“Can you just do as you’re told for once?” Spirit had come running when he heard her screaming, surprised to find her fighting with a book that couldn’t seem to stand up straight.</p><p>“What?” he had only smiled and closed the door, scarcely escaping the range of her anger. She had thrown herself on the mattress and stared at the ceiling, reflecting on her behavior the past few days. Her nerves were worse than ever and she had been taking them out on anything she could find, ranging from her father to the cutlery<em>. Maybe riding will help my mood…</em></p><p> She had sprinted outside, reassuring her father that she wasn’t looking for trouble before mounting Phillip and taking off into the forest. The air against her face, pushing her hair- tied into two pigtails- away from her eyes, ringing against her ears filled her with a renewed sense of purpose. The combination of the freedom of riding, along with the scenery around her created and image that could convince her that she could take over the world. </p><p> By the time she returned home both hers and her companion’s legs where aching. She threw open the door, ideas rushing through her head as she walked to the kitchen, briefly noticing her father’s absence.</p><p>She proudly looked her new masterpiece. The idea had come to her as Phillip circled around the open fields. It was a simple, but effective trick. After some calculations, she only needed to tie a rope, attached to a barrel filled it with clothes and soap.</p><p>“Brilliant!” she jumped up and down as she watched the clothes spinning around while she sat back, not moving a muscle. She looked around her for the first time in the past few hours, realizing night had fallen.</p><p>“Where’s papa?” after a thorough search she evaluated that he was not in any of the few rooms of their small cottage. That was when she noticed a note sitting on the kitchen table, addressed to her.  <em>He’s probably staying in the city…  </em>It took her a few seconds after tearing the envelope open to realize that it wasn’t her father who wrote this letter. <em>What?</em></p><p>
  <em>Dear Maka,</em>
</p><p>
  <em> I am sorry to inform you that something terrible has happened to you father. Unfortunately you weren’t here when I knocked on your door ,so I’m leaving you this letter, hoping you will be able to locate and save him. The man who has Spirit lives in a large mansion, hidden deep in the woods. Please, find him and bring him home. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I have left you directions. Good luck. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>-A friend.</em>
</p><p> She reread the words, over and over until they sunk in<em>. Papa is in danger. I have to go… </em>If anyone had asked her a few minutes ago what she would do if she found out her papa had been kidnapped, she would have answered that she would let them have him. But in that moment, when it was real, all she could think about was that she needed to go to him, not stopping for a moment to considering the prospect of the letter being a trap, or the potential danger, if it was real.</p><p> After gathering some essentials: water, food and a small knife she set off, pulling at the reins, achieving maximum speed as she rode further away from home and deeper into the forest.</p><p> She followed the directions of the letter until she arrived at the red marker. She couldn’t hold herself from gasping at the ominous sight. There was in fact a mansion, larger than anything she had imagined, seemingly build out off a combination of stone and brick, marble statues lining the roof. When raindrops starting landing on her face she looked up to find that it was thunder storming.</p><p>“The sky was clear as water a moment ago…” the weather seemed to be contributing to the eerie atmosphere of the building. Maka shook her head, putting order to her thoughts. <em>I’m here for papa.</em>  </p><p> She dismounted the horse, tying the reins to a nearby tree before walking up the stone steps. After a deep breath she aggressively knocked on the door, only to find it was open. She hesitantly stepped inside, momentarily stunned by the darkness. The only light in the huge space seemed to be a small candle, doing little to encourage her advances. A strong gush of wind brushed against her legs, sending chills up her spine. Then the front door closed with a loud bang.  She couldn’t resist a glance over her shoulder. As her eyes adjusted to the light, or lack there off, she could make out a large staircase, branching out into what seemed to be two separate wings.</p><p>“Papa?” her yells were met with silence, the only sound was the thunder, providing sparse bursts of light through the tall windows.  She walked further in, grabbing the candle, previously sitting on a wooden table nearby. Her body froze in place when she heard footsteps. They echoed, as if purposely building suspense, trying to scare her off. She , refusing to fall for their ticks, moved to face the direction of the noise only to realize it had stopped completely. After lifting the candlelight higher she was finally able to see the person who kidnapped her father. Surprise was an understatement, when she was faced with a boy, near her age with white hair and red eyes. His features were soft and his body seemed frail. It wasn’t what she expected.</p><p>“Are you a hallucination?” it seemed he wasn’t done surprising her. <em>Maybe he’s playing dumb?</em></p><p>“I’m here for my father.” She met his gaze with defiance, which he answered with confusion. He stayed silent as he moved closer, so close she could feel the heat radiating off him. She resisted the urge to take a step back- knowing any sign of fear would make her look weak-barely flinching when his hand moved to touch her arm. It was his turn to be surprised. He jumped back, seemingly putting as much distance between them as possible, knocking a decorative vase in the process.</p><p>“Y-your’e. You’re real?” he seemed more lost than her. Her determination faltered. <em>Is he playing it? What is wrong with him?</em></p><p>“How? How did you get in here?” his voice was shaking as he pushed himself off the wall.</p><p>“The front door was open.” She couldn’t bring herself to interrogate him when she looked at his distress.  The words ha barely left her mouth when he run towards the door, colliding with every piece of furniture and broken tile in his way. He threw the heavy door open, stepping outside. Or trying to. Something pushed him back inside and he fell on his back, groaning in pain. Her legs carried her towards him before she could stop them.</p><p>“Are you okay? What happened?” he looked more confused than he was a minute ago, in a state of absolute panic.</p><p>“But… But how did you get in here?” she walked closer to the open door, leaving him mumbling to himself as she brought her palm to the opening, only to flinch back at the shock. <em>Huh? </em>When she tried again she felt the same pain.</p><p>“What is this?” now her confusion mirrored his perfectly. They looked at each other, neither of the uttering a word, only taking in the other. <em>Who is this boy? What have I gotten myself into?</em></p><p> It took a long stretch of silence before either of them spoke up.</p><p>“What is this place? Who are you?” he seemed to take a few seconds to register her questions.</p><p>“I could ask you the same thing…” she considered him for while, options running through her mind. After a long moment of analyzing she extended her hand to him, still sprawled across the marble floor. </p><p>“Maka Albarn.”  For a minute he only starred before reluctantly accepting it. She tried her best not to flinch at the feel of scars against her skin. His hand was filled with bruises and scratch marks, some seemingly old while others recent.</p><p>“Soul Evans.” Was all he said, shaking her hand briefly before pulling it away and hiding it from view, under what seemed to be a sort of cape.</p><p>“What are you doing here? Some of the fear had left his eyes, replaced by curiosity<em>. It won’t do us any good running in circles… </em></p><p>“I was told my father was here.” After regaining composure the threat returned to her look, remembering her original objective. Truth be told, she didn’t expect her father’s captor to be a boy near her age but it would be foolish to judge him based on his appearance.</p><p>“What- No one’s here except me. I’m not even sure how you got…” his voice trailed off, his eyes widening as if he had an epiphany.</p><p>“The witch… There’s no one else who could do this… But… why?” he begun pacing around the space, footsteps echoing through the dark halls.</p><p>“Wait- What are you talking about?” her eyes followed his anxious movements, trying to understand something from his rambling.</p><p>“Who told you your father is here?” the words were rushed as he took a step towards her.</p><p>“I- I don’t know. There wasn’t a name on the letter.” Maka felt her resolve falter. The boy-Soul, seemed to have entered a state of panic once again, trying to piece together the events with completely different pieces from hers.</p><p>“Maybe if you explained what you know to me I could help?” he was such a sorry sight she couldn’t keep her guard so high, knowing it would get them nowhere. After a few deep breaths he looked back at her.</p><p>“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…” his eyes gaze fell on the floor as we walked deeper into the shadows, ignoring her protests.</p><p>“Hey! Wait right there, I wasn’t done!” when she moved to run after him she felt something tug on her skirt. Her head moved frantically, trying to spot whatever was getting in her way when it spoke up.</p><p>“Relax, m’ lady. I only want to help.” Her confusion deepened. The voice didn’t belong to Soul, but according to him they were the only people in the mansion. No that she trusted him to begin with.</p><p>“Where are you? Show yourself! She took a few steps backwards, observing her surroundings.</p><p>“Down here.” When she followed the voice all she saw was the candle from earlier, picking it up, hoping to spot the man the voice belonged to.</p><p>“Good day to you.” When the voice was next to her ear she turned around to discover she completely alone. The voice sighed.</p><p>“In your hand.” When she looked at the candlestick something resembling a mouth moved.</p><p>“Good, you noticed me! I’m Blackstar! And you are Maka, I gathered?” the object- which should not have been talking- fell on the ground as she jumped in fear.</p><p>“You can talk?” after it… got to its feet it looked up at her.</p><p>“I believe I frightened you?” she took a few cautious steps toward it, half convinced she was going mad. Maybe this was all a strange dream and she was in fact sleeping in her warm bed back home. But she knew better. Knew that all she saw weren’t figments of her imagination.</p><p>“You’re.. .Blackstar?”  the candle nodded enthusiastically in response. Hesitantly, she picked him up, suspending her disbelief, hoping to get an explanation.</p><p>“So… You can tell me what all this is about?” when another unfamiliar voice echoed she flinched.</p><p>“He can, unfortunately.” An intricate clock came into view, slowly making its way toward them.</p><p>“And you’re a clock… who can talk…” her head was spinning.</p><p>“Yes, yes, we can all talk. Now, I believe we should move to the dining room. You should be sitting for this.</p><p>“Now we’re talking!” Blackstar jumped from her hand and the duo moved away, leading her towards a pair of heavy wooden doors, which opened when they approached.</p><p> </p><p>“Now that that is settled…” after their insisting, she was sitting in front of a plate filled with foods she didn’t recognize. In spite her minds protests, her stomach growled.</p><p>“You can eat while I explain.” Suddenly she felt self aware- about eating in front of a clock and a candle and an assortment of other not so inanimate objects.- All was forgotten when her mouth filled with some of the best flavors she had ever tasted.</p><p>“To keep it brief, ten years ago a witch cursed this castle, and all who lived here with a curse. You can see its result in front of you.” Until then, the clock- whose name was Kid- had been speaking, before he was interrupted by Blackstar.</p><p>“None of us can leave, and neither can the master. So you can imagine our surprise when you walked in! But perhaps you can help us break the curse!” his voice was much more excited than his friend’s , doing little to cam her nerves.</p><p>“How exactly can you break this… curse?” it was almost impossible for her to voice the words but questioning them would only postpone the inevitable.</p><p>“That is where we will find our explanation comes short… The witch never explained how the master is supposed to break this curse.” Kid’s words of disappointment didn’t offer any encouragement.</p><p>“Yes, but she must have let you in for a reason! And, seeing as you can’t live this place, you can help us figure it out!” Blackstar jumped around as he had found new hope. It was all too much to take in. She was locked in, and there was no way to get out unless she helped them break a curse they knew nothing about. She took her head in her hands, now throbbing from the flood of information.</p><p>“Perhaps you should retire to you rooms for now. Blackstar will take you.</p><p>“the doors opened as he walked out. She turned to Blackstar, who was already moving when she got to her feet.</p><p> Her jaw dropped when she looked at her new room. The furniture was more luxurious than anything she had ever set eyes on and it almost felt wrong as she stepped inside.</p><p>“You will find it is very comfortable.” He gestured to the bed, beginning to close her door.</p><p>“We’ll speak again in the morning, after you’ve rested well. Goodnight!” when the door shut behind her, the silence allowed her thoughts to consume her as she fell on her bed. She fell asleep with the hopes it had all been a dream after all.</p><p> </p><p>“Think about it! Ten years of silence and then a girl shows up out of nowhere? This is a sign! She’ll help us break the curse!”</p><p>“How did I not think of that? The power of true love. Works every time.” Soul’s voice was dripping with sarcasm as he addressed his old friends. He knew their excitement was justified. Her arrival was a surprise, but he refused to fall into the witch’s trap. She was playing them all, trying to fill them with a false sense of hope, which would fade as time passed and they remained locked inside their prison.</p><p>“Trying won’t hurt you!” he could feel Liz’s frustration as she glared at him.</p><p>“I know you don’t believe this will solve anything, but you should talk to the girl. She might bring something new to the table.” He looked over his long time companions, considering them. Feelings of guilt overwhelmed him. He had been the only one who wasn’t turned because of the curse. The witch had reserved another wicked punishment for him, but he knew he’d had it the easiest, seeing he was able to stand on two feet and look down on them.</p><p>“Allright… if that’s what you think I should do…” he sat on down, suddenly feeling exhausted from the day’s events.</p><p>“He said he’ll do it!” Blackstar was jumping up and down, the noise filling the room.</p><p>“Don’t get your hopes up…”</p><p>That morning Maka realized, much to her disappointment, that it had not been a dream.</p><p>She woke up to the sound of the door opening, a cart holding a teacup set rolled in and she found she didn’t have the energy to be surprised.</p><p>“Good morning. I believe we haven’t met. I’m Liz!” the teapot spoke up, loud enough to wash away the last shreds of sleep from Maka’s mind.</p><p>“And I’m Patty! Please have some tea while it’s still hot!” one of the cups moved closer, leaving drops of the hot liquid in its trail. She took a few sips, trying to ignore the oddness of the situation<em>. I need to get out of here… I need to break this curse…</em></p><p>“I believe I should speak to Sir Soul?” it felt weird addressing him with such formality, considering they were the same age by the looks of it, but it wasn’t the weirdest thing that had happened the last twenty-four hours. There was an awkward silence as she waited for someone to reply. When no one spoke up she untangled herself from the blankets before heading outside the room, opting to look for him herself.  She could hear faint footsteps behind her, voices trying to get her attention but she ignored them.</p><p>“Hm, maybe this way?” she was about to walk down a set of stairs when her ears caught a faint melody. <em>Where’s that coming from? </em>Her feet carried her towards the music, a piece like nothing she had heard before.</p><p>“No, my lady! The master doesn’t want to be disturbed right now!” despite the protests echoing behind her Maka sped up her pace, half-running towards her goal. The melody seemed to have led her to a lone room, sitting on the top of another staircase. Even through the thick door, the sound of the instrument- a piano, she deciphered- was clear as crystal in her ears. Her hand hovered over the doorknob for a few seconds before she pulled open, only peeking her head inside, trying not to disturb his flow. She saw Soul sitting on a small stool, his eyes closed, trained fingers moving along the clavier. Confusion took over her when the notes became more and more random, a complete contrast to the melody he was producing before. His hands landed on the keys in a fit of rage, the noise hurting Maka’s ears.</p><p>“Get out!” his eyes weren’t on her, but she could feel his anger. Her legs moved on the own accord, trying to find any way out of these walls that suddenly looked more ominous than they had the night before. He could hear his footsteps behind her, his panting as he tried to catch up with her.</p><p>“Wait! Just stop for a moment!” when she came across a balcony door she threw it open, shutting it behind her, hoping to buy some time as she made her way to the edge. After a quick evaluation it seemed like the drop could prove very dangerous, but the thought of turning around and facing his wrath wasn’t particularly appealing. <em>I can do this… I won’t sit by and be his personal punching bag… I don’t know how dangerous he is. </em>The doors were bursting open as she swung her legs over the railing, cautious to turn her back on him. The reality of what she was considering suddenly caught up with her as she looked at the ground below. A deeper drop than she had thought, looking at it from a safe spot.</p><p>“Don’t move! I’m coming to get you.” His voice did little to reassure her as she looked down, grasping at the stone railing as if her life depended on it, because it did. She could hear a voice in the back of her head scolding her for being so reckless, letting her emotions take over once again. Considering her current predicament she decided to push that voice away for later. It was too late either way. When she turned back she saw Soul’s extended hand, now covered with fresh cuts and bruises. Despite their broken appearance in that moment it looked like a gift from the gods. When she reached out she remembered why she had given up on them as she felt her foot slip, throwing her of balance, now both her legs dangling above the void. She braced herself for the fall, eyes shut tight, trying her best not to scream. When she realized she was not falling she dared to open her eyes only to be met with Soul’s eyes looking back at her , fear written all over them. And something else. Pain. It took her too long to access the situation. Her was grunting, both of his hands holding on to hers, trying their best to lift her back to safety. When she finally registered what was happening she fought to bring her legs back on the ledge.</p><p>“Could you do that any slower?” his voice was breathless as he yelled out the words.</p><p>“I’m trying!” his scolding was the last thing she needed when it was his fault she was in this situation in the first place. <em>Actually it was your stupidity. Idiot.</em>  When she felt herself dropping further her heart almost leapt from her chest.</p><p>“Dammit!” his body was slowly slipping lower, sweat dripping from his forehead as he tried desperately to keep his legs firmly stuck on the stone flooring. Seconds felt like hours as he gazed into her eyes, as if looking into her soul. And then he jerked his hands upwards, bringing over the railing as his body fell from the impact.</p><p>“No!” No matter how much she stretched her hands out he was out of her reach. Her heart dropped. He was going to die trying to save her from her own mistakes. <em>No. Nononononono</em>.</p><p>“Hey! Don’t just stare! Help us!” that was when she noticed Blackstar, Kid and Liz, as well as some she didn’t recognize holding a rope, struggling to lift Soul, who was barely holding on. After a shake of her head she nodded and grabbed the end of the rope, putting all of her strength, slowly lifting him back up. She needed to save him. She wasn’t going to let him die. Once he was back on that ledge she had been standing on only moments ago she pulled him over the railing, both of them tumbling to the ground, breathless and exhausted.</p><p>“Master! You’re safe!” they all gathered around him squeezing him tightly, before turning their attention on her. She expected anger, frustration at her stupidity, but instead they all wrapped around her like they had for him.</p><p>“Thank you. I’m so glad you’re okay!” Liz was practically sobbing, while Blackstar was laughing, enjoying the moment. Her muscles were screaming, lungs on fire and head throbbing from adrenaline but she was alive. They were both alive. <em>Good… </em></p><p> After her heart was back to safe pulse she dared a glance at Soul. His hair was a mess and his clothes drenched but everything seemed to be in place.</p><p>“Are you hurt? He asked, still sounding breathless.  <em>Why is he concerned about me? This is all my fault.  </em></p><p>“No. Are you?” were the only words that came to her. She pushed her body off the floor and offered him a hand, carefully lifting him up. She flinched when he fell back down.</p><p>“What is it? Are you okay?” it felt like a stupid thing to ask but she did it anyways.</p><p>“I think I sprained my ankle.” It was more of an observation than a complaint. Guilt slowly consumed her. <em>I did this. No. Now is not the time to wallow in self hatred. </em>Her arms wrapped around him, half carrying him away towards what she later found out was his bedroom.</p><p>“Why are you helping me?” the exhaustion was evident in the way his voice shook, but he still tried his best to support his weight on one foot as best as he could.</p><p>“Shut up.” He let out a soft laugh, easing the tension that had engulfed them.</p><p>“That’s oddly demanding, all things considered. “his words were harsh but there was a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Her muscles relaxed as she set his body on his bed before turning to his injured leg.</p><p>“Does it hurt when you’re not stepping on it?” her palms rugged at the fabric around his ankle, slowly lifting it up so she could get a better look at the injury. It was slightly swollen, clearly more than a simple sprain.</p><p>“Sorta…” he must’ve seen her disappointment because he tried to reassure her of its insignificance.</p><p>“It’s fine… Just… Go rest or something…” he was awkward but his words were sweet none the less. The weight on her stomach only grew.</p><p>“I need to tie this up or it’ll take too long to heal.” She grabbed a piece of cloth from a nearby cart, her hands moving efficiently, wrapping it tightly around the skin. He stayed silent, observing her as she worked, only speaking up when she leaned back to inspect her work.</p><p>“Don’t try to get up. I’ll go fetch you something to drink.” She walked to the door, refusing to allow herself to drown in the sea of negative emotions that the event had sprung inside her.</p><p>“Thanks.” Her instinct told her to shut him down. It was her fault he couldn’t stand and helping him was the least she could do. Instead, she gave him a soft smile before making her way to the kitchen.</p><p>“You saved my life, so it’s only fair.” she didn’t stick around long enough to hear his reply.</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>“She’s something else…” </em>his palm shot up, touching his lips to find he was smiling. It had been so long he had almost forgotten what it was like. <em>Quite something…</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oof, well that's done. The next one will probably take a while. Life is pretty hectic. I hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Something There</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> It had been a few days since the balcony incident . Maka had been silently treating Soul’s ankle, which was still stubbornly swollen. He had been avoiding talking to her much, only observing from afar as she went about her day, trying to adjust. She had ultimately decided that she could trust Soul, at least as far as his innocence went.</p><p>“How is it feeling? Can you step on it?” she extended her hands, ready to catch him in case she had miscalculated his healing process.</p><p>“It’s not that-“ her glare shut him up. Despite his best efforts, she had taken care of him, forbidding him from stepping on it until she said otherwise. After the initial shock he realized she was quite intimidating, especially when she really wanted something.</p><p>“It doesn’t hurt too much…” when he put his foot on the ground, testing it a few times before settling ,she smiled as if a weight had been lifted of her shoulders.</p><p>“Great! It seems I was right after all. Here!” his eyes widened when she handed him a long wooden stick.</p><p>“What’s this?” her groaned when her hand collided with his head, his hand shooting up to sooth the burn.</p><p>“Ow! What was that for?” Maka rolled her eyes.</p><p>“It’s a cane. I think a nice stroll will do you some good.” She never ceased to surprise him.</p><p>“A stroll?” he ran a hand through his hair, suddenly self aware.</p><p>“Aha. I noticed there’s a huge garden at the back that doesn’t seem to be closed off. Come on.” When he didn’t move she took his arm, pulling him along, despite his protests.</p><p>“H-Hey!” she didn’t make any move to let go, only slowing her pace to match his.</p><p>“A-are you always so pushy?” he was thankful she couldn’t his face, now beet red.</p><p>“And we’re here.” When she pushed the glass doors open and stepped outside he felt his lungs fill with fresh air. It was a chilly day, thin snow covering every leaf still attached to the many trees sorrounding the pathways. Soul was momentarily stunned, memories he thought he had erased resurfaced, catching him off guard.</p><p>
  <em> “Hey! Look I’m doing it!” Soul’s small legs slid along the frozen lake, barely keeping his balance as he tried in vain to capture his father’s attention. When his gaze remained glued on the day’s paper, little Soul flailed his arms, oblivious to the ice cracking beneath him. When his skin met with the freezing water, his screams were drowned out, air replaced by water in a matter of seconds. It was the first time he heard death knocking on his door, begging to be let in. It had been Wes who pulled him out. He only remained conscious long enough to see his father walking away, not offering him a second glance. Not turning back once. </em>
</p><p>“Hello? Earth to Soul” it took a few moments before he noticed Maka’s hand waving in front of his face.</p><p>“Sorry… I spaced out…” he moved further down the stone path, pushed by the desire  to be as far away from the sight as possible.</p><p>“So, did you spend a lot of time here as a child?” she was walking next to him now, matching his considerably slow pace.</p><p>“Not really… I mostly stayed inside.” He resisted the urge to look over his shoulder, back to the frozen lake.</p><p>“It seems to me you were missing out.” He could see her taking in the scenery, wondering eyes scanning the area, a small smile tugging on her lips. He only realized he’d been starring when she tugged on his sleeve.</p><p>“Let’s rest.” She led them over small bridge, towards a stone bench. He sighed, aware of the cane in his hand. Despite his annoyance a sense of relief washed over him when he sat down, his ankle grateful for the break. His eyes landed on Maka, pacing around the space, hands clasped behind her back.</p><p>“What are you thinking about?” the question had left his lips before he could think twice about it. When her eyes landed on his he looked away, fidgeting with his cuffs.</p><p>“S-sorry, I shouldn’t have asked…” he didn’t notice her seating next to him until he heard her voice, now decidedly closer than before.</p><p>“This place reminds me of a play I’ve read.” He followed her eyes to one of the many balconies of the mansion.</p><p>“O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art. As glorious to this night, being o'er my head,<span class="u"><br/>
</span>As is a winged messenger of heaven.” He could sense her surprise as she turned to look at him, her eyes wide.</p><p>“You know Shakespeare?” he nodded, looking back at the time he read Shakespeare for the first time, remembering how dumbfounded he was,  to that day ,by the character’s action’s.</p><p>“I have read most of his plays… I never understood the ending of Romeo and Juliet. “ she seemed to be hanging by his every word ,urging him to continue.</p><p>“I guess I never really got how two people who barely knew each other would die for each other. I always thought he was overrated anyways…” Maka lifted an eyebrow, challenging him.</p><p>“Well then , what do you consider worthy of praise?” he rose from his seat, walking back towards the building, ignoring his aching ankle</p><p> After a few failed attempts he pushed the doors of the library open, shelves covering the massive walls, all the way up to the ceiling, only interrupted by windows, letting in the mid-day sun.</p><p>“There are a few I could recommend… With a little search I’ll be able to come up with a good list-“ he turned to look at her, still standing in the middle of the room, not paying him any mind.</p><p>“This is incredible. I’ve never seen so many books in my life, let alone in one room!” she spun around, taking it all in. Soul followed her movements, feeling as if he was looking at the space with a completely different lens.</p><p>“I suppose it’s quite impressive.” The pure wonder he saw painted on her face brought a smile to his lips.</p><p>“If you like it so much you can come any time. I’m certain the books are eager to be read again after so many years of collecting dust.” He walked deeper into the room, scanning for any titles he knew to be good. He laughed to himself when he heard her jump up in excitement. </p><p> </p><p> Having dinner together than night hadn’t been his decision- not that he put up much of a fight-.</p><p>“I made dinner myself today so you better eat up!” she placed a smoking bowl in front of him before taking a seat opposite him.</p><p>“How come you don’t sit at the top of the table?” he knew her question was meant to make light hearted conversation but a lump formed in his throat when he glanced at the chair, a symbol of his father’s dominance since childhood.</p><p>“Is it cursed?” she must’ve caught him looking. His eyes landed back on her, the returned to the food in front of him.</p><p>“Just reminds me of unpleasant people.” Maka considered him for a moment before switching seats, getting comfortable in what used to be Edward Evan’s chair.</p><p>“It’s pretty comfortable.” The scared child inside Soul felt a mixture of fear and amazement at her boldness. A smile appeared on his face before he knew it.</p><p>“He wouldn’t have liked that.” She smiled back.</p><p>“Good thing he’s not here then.” There was silence while they were eating, one much more comfortable than Soul would have expected.</p><p>“That second day, when I yelled…” she paused immediately, placing the empty dishes back on the table.</p><p>“Water under the bridge. “ despite her encouraging words, he shook his head.</p><p>“I… I wasn’t yelling at you… I hadn’t even noticed you.” Her eyes widened at his confession, momentarily stunned.</p><p>“Wait, What? Then who were you talking to? No one else was there but us.” It wasn’t something he particularly wanted to discuss, but he needed her to know she hadn’t done anything wrong, a fact which baffled him.</p><p>“I was talking to… the piano.” She sat down again, giving him her full attention.</p><p>“So… The piano is like Blackstar and Kid?” he nodded, half hoping she would let the subject drop.</p><p>“Why were you telling it… them to get out?” much to his disappointment she did not. When he didn’t answer she pressed on.</p><p>“Who is it?” she seemed more hesitant this time, worried if she had pushed it too much.</p><p>“Edward Evans. My aforementioned father.”  She was stunned, only starring at him as he rose from his seat, walking towards bedroom.</p><p>“Hey. I’d like it if you played for me sometime.” It was his turn to be rendered speechless. <em>Play? For someone else?</em>  Panic overtook him at the thought. He couldn’t possibly. It would be a mess, an embarrassment.</p><p>“Sure.” He mentally punched himself in the face, hard Why couldn’t he say no?</p><p>“Great. Goodnight.” He heard her leave the room towards the kitchen, her footsteps fading.</p><p>“Goodnight…” he murmured before returning to his room.</p><p> She’ll forget about it, right?</p><p> </p><p>“Feel like playing today?” the sunlight assaulted his eyes when he woke up, too early for his liking.</p><p>“Wh-what are you doing?” he pressed a pillow in his face, only to have it snatched away.</p><p>“It’s morning. I made breakfast. Come on. Get up.” A loud groan escaped him as she pulled at his arm.</p><p>“Since when are you my babysitter?” that earned him a smack to the head.</p><p>“Ouch!” his hand shot to rub his hurting head, trying to sooth the burn.</p><p>“We need to find a way to break this curse, remember?” he sighed, falling back on his pile of pillows.</p><p>“I told you… There’s no way to break it…” he expected another smack, but instead she crossed her arms, her resolve faltering, only for a moment.</p><p>“We have to keep searching. My father is waiting for me. He’s a mess without me.” A stuffy silence engulfed them, neither daring to speak another word. Guilt settled itself on Soul’s shoulders, reminding him it was his fault she couldn’t be there for her father. She didn’t speak much about him and when she did, a colorful array of insults usually followed, but he could hear the care behind her harsh words.</p><p>“Okay then.” He made his way to his dresser, cane in hand, almost falling flat on his face once before righting himself and continuing, hoping Maka didn’t notice.</p><p>“I’ll get dressed and then we can do some research…” his voice didn’t exude confidence but he had never been a knight in shinning armor.</p><p>“Okay then!” when she made no move to give him some privacy blood rushed to his face.</p><p>“Uh.. I need to change first?” it took Maka a few seconds before she realized the issue, her cheeks quickly gaining a similar color to his own beet red face.</p><p>“S-Sorry… Take your time…” she made a fast exit out of the door, closing it harder than intended. </p><p> After he had made himself look somewhat presentable he met Maka in the dining room, sweet scents filling the air.</p><p>“Is that bacon and eggs?” Maka’s head appeared on the kitchen door, closely followed by the rest of her.</p><p>“Yep. A strong breakfast prepares you for a productive day.” She pushed a plate filled with an array of foods in front of him before taking her seat at the head of the table. The action still sent a rush of adrenaline through him, half expecting his father’s  rage when he saw her. <em>But he’s not here, is he?  </em>He took the seat to her right, feeling bold like a child as he dug into his food.</p><p> </p><p> The next few days went by in a blur, most of their time spent looking around the mansion for any hints at how to break the curse. Before they knew it a week had passed, finding them no closer to a solution than they were before they started.</p><p> Dinner that night had been quiet, the pair feeling defeated. Everyone else had also been quiet, just as disappointed as them.</p><p>“We must’ve missed something… There’s no unbreakable curse.” Her eyes were unfocused, completely exhausted from the long nights of their fruitless search.</p><p>“Have you broken many curses before?”  Soul’s mood had gradually dropped throughout the week, returning to its state before her arrival, mostly influenced by the sight of Maka, completely defeated. The desire to lift her spirits rose, sending thoughts racing through his head. He couldn’t break the curse at this pace, but he knew he had to make her relax. She needed a break. He had missed her smile, not that he’d admit to that.</p><p>“Maybe… Do you want to have a ball tomorrow?” her head shot up at his suggestion, eyes wide open.</p><p>“A ball?” her tone was a mix of confusion and offense . Soul swallowed hard.</p><p>“It’s just… you’ve been working too hard. Taking a day off won’t hurt…”  her head shook rapidly, seemingly not entirely controlled.</p><p>“No, No I can’t take a break. I need to find a way to break this curse… I’ll go do some more research at the library and then I’ll go to bed…” her movements were rushed and messy, completely contradicting her controlled and organized actions when they first met. He rose from his seat, grabbing her hand, stopping her from plunging deep into another endless cycle of jumble thoughts.</p><p>“Maka. Go to sleep.” Her body shook as she yanked her arm away, stumbling to a nearby wall.</p><p>“No! I can’t rest now… I still haven’t found anything… Dad is probably so worried… What if he’s searching for me? I-I” her body crumpled to the ground, Soul barely catching her before she collapsed.</p><p>“No more searching. You’re going to rest.” She was barely in a state to protest as Soul carried her to her room, despite his still not completely healed ankle.</p><p>“You seriously need to take better care of yourself… There’s no point to get out if you return to him in pieces.” His words echoed through the dark halls, no one around to listen to them except him, Maka now asleep in his arms.</p><p> </p><p>“What is this?” Maka’s voice was quiet as she stepped in the dining room to be greeted by a full table.</p><p>“A strong breakfast prepares you for a productive day right? Today, productive stands for resting.” Soul stepped inside, pushing a tray towards the table, Liz and Patty sitting on top.</p><p>“A warm cup of tea will definitely help you with that.” Patty moved closer to the plate of food, urging her to sit and enjoy.</p><p>“Did you all prepare this for me?” the guilt was evident in her expression as she hesitantly stepped closer.</p><p>“This is our thank you for putting in so much work to break the curse.” Soul gently pushed her towards her chair, trying to erase her convictions.</p><p>“Today, I want you to rest.” They both took their seats, Maka still clearly uncomfortable.</p><p>“You’ll need you strength for tonight.” Blackstar’s voice rung through the room, it’s excitment returned since the previous night.</p><p>“W-What’s tonight?” her mind was still clouded from sleep, struggling to keep up with the information .</p><p>“We’re having a ball!” Liz’s voice was too excited too early.</p><p>“A ball?” Maka had to repeat the word in her head a few times before it registered.</p><p>“A ball?!” she turned to Soul, looking for some sort of denial, but he only nodded, confirming their words.</p><p>“We don’t have time for balls! We need to get out of here. I-“ when she looked around at the faces of her newfound comrades she saw the disapproval in their eyes. Not that of the people in her village. She could see the care in their eyes. It almost shocked her how much it made her feel accepted.</p><p>“You’re having fun today. And that’s an order.”  Blackstar’s voice was strict, yet cheery in a way only his voice could be. A smile tugged at her lips.</p><p>“Okay. “</p><p> </p><p>The reality of what he had suggested settled in as Soul tried to push down the mop in his head. He could feel his stomach turning as the time for the ball approached.</p><p>“Stop looking off like a lost puppy! It’s not a good look.” Blackstar and Kid stepped into the room, followed by the rest of his old friends, streams of advice and pointers filling the small room.</p><p>“You should be gentle.”</p><p>“Definitely don’t step on her feet while dancing.”</p><p>“Don’t let her get bored.” A sudden urge to run as fast as he could started building up but he tried to push it back down. <em>This is for her. I need to make sure she enjoys it.</em></p><p>“Just relax and be yourself. She would appreciate that more than anything.” Liz’s voice was close to his ear, blocking out everyone else’s.</p><p>“I think that’s the best advice I’ve heard all day.” He smiled as he put a blue tie around his neck, blocking out the excited yelling around him.</p><p> </p><p> Standing at the top of the staircase leading to the ballroom he shifted his weight, his hands looking for anything to distract him as he waited for Maka to appear on the other side. <em>She must’ve changed her mind… This was a bad idea… A really bad idea… </em>His racing thoughts went quiet when he watched her step through the door, wearing a yellow gown with gold embroidery, her hair down for the first time since he’d met her. She was the most beautiful person he had ever set eyes upon. She must’ve noticed his starring because she looked down and started descending the stairs, a soft blush on her cheeks. He shook his head, moving to stand next to her ,offering her his hand. When she placed hers on top of it, flashing him her most genuine smile he felt all his worries wash away.</p><p> And then they danced to the soft music. Soul tripped a few times, after years of merely trudging around the mansion, but she only laughed. In that moment they felt like children, without any worries or fears, forgetting they were imprisoned, the only humans in the mansion.  This was all they needed.</p><p>“Where did you learn to dance?” they stepped out to the balcony, hands still intertwined.</p><p>“My dad taught me. I used to step on his toes a lot.” Her eyes were starring off into a far away memory, a smile appearing on her lips. He reluctantly averted his gaze back to her eyes.</p><p>“You don’t talk about him much.” His voice must’ve brought her back to the present.</p><p>“It’s complicated…”</p><p>“So I’ve gathered” it took her a few minutes to continue. He expected her to drop it, so he couldn’t mask his surprise when she started speaking</p><p>“He is a… difficult man. My mom died when I was still a baby so he’s all I’ve known… Irresponsible to the bone… I can’t rely on him for most things… But he raised me. He was there when no one else was. He made me who I am.” He could see the love behind the insults and her complains as she spoke. He almost envied their relationship, complicated as it was.</p><p>“He did a good job.” A soft laugh escaped her lips.</p><p>“ I don’t get that a lot.”  The raise of his eyebrows pushed to continue.</p><p>“I’m not exactly popular in my village. The people there don’t like a woman with motivations and ambitions.” Soul felt his blood boil. He could understand the feeling of being the black sheep but it had never bothered him much before. Despite her smiles he could tell it affected her, never feeling understood.</p><p>“They were wrong. Those are the things that make you... You. They’re what makes you so great.” He hadn’t meant to sound so sentimental but he wanted her to see herself the way he saw her. <em>Perfect</em>.  </p><p>“No one’s said that to mebefore... Thanks.” he wanted to somehow lift her spirits. She had nothing to be self conscious about. Suddenly an idea popped in his head.</p><p>“Do you still want to hear me play?” he knew it was a bad idea but if it could make her feel better he had to try.</p><p>“Really?” She was practically beaming with anticipation. <em>There’ the smile. </em></p><p>He hesitated for a moment before stepping back inside, leading her towards his least favorite room in the mansion.</p><p> </p><p> It was completely dark inside, an eerie silence engulfing them. He moved to open the curtains, allowing the moonlight to seep through and provide some visibility. His palms begun to sweat as he approached the bench, hoping his father didn’t interrupt them. He was the last thing he wanted her to confront. The eagerness in her eyes was evident as she waited for him to start.  He placed his fingers on the keys, trying his best to stop them from trembling.  After a few deep breaths he started playing, hoping she enjoyed the melody. He could feel her eyes watching him, taking him in. And then came the surprise. And then the whispering started.</p><p>
  <em>This isn’t what I’ve taught you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’re useless. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’ve lost the one talent you ever had.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Years wasted in this stupid room when you could’ve been making connections. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.</em>
</p><p>He froze, coming to an abrupt stop, his hands trembling, his mind too far gone in thoughts that had slowly been eating away at him. He didn’t register Maka stepping closer until her arms were around him. He only starred at the keys as she slowly lifted him off and left him outside towards his room, sitting him down on one of the chairs.  </p><p>
  <em>This isn’t what I’ve taught you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’re useless. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>You’ve lost the one talent you ever had.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Years wasted in this stupid room when you could’ve been making connections. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.</em>
</p><p> Maka only spoke up after brewing some tea for them.</p><p>“Are you feeling better?”  he could only nod, his mind only half paying attention to his sorroundings. All of it’s attention turned to her when he felt the warmth of her hands on his face, sending chills down his spine.</p><p> “Soul. Look at me. You are fine. There’s nothing to be scared of. You’re safe.” It took a few minutes for the words to register, his breathing slowly evening out, her hands never leaving him, her eyes on him.</p><p>“I’m sorry...” his voice was shaky as he tried to apologize in an attempt to make the situation less humiliating. He was the one who suggested to lift her spirits and there she was, comforting him.</p><p>“There’s nothing to be sorry for. You don’t have to tell me what happened. Just know that if you ever need to talk I’m here. It’s not like I can go anywhere.” A half-laugh escaped her, lifting a small part of the weight on his mind.</p><p>“I’m sorry I ruined your night...” the smack on his head brought him back to his senses as he looked up at her.</p><p>“What was that for?!” the sight of her, arms crossed, pouting, looming over him was an intimidating sight. <em>I could get used to that.</em> He quickly pushed the thought away. <em>She doesn’t belong here. She is destined for more than being tighed down with me and my inner demons.</em></p><p>“I said you have nothing to sorry for. Now come on, let’s have dinner. I’m starving.” Her hand wrapped around his, pulling him with her.</p><p> </p><p> The dinning room was quiet as they ate, both deep in their own thoughts. Soul had to push down the urge to apologize multiple times as he tried to put the mess in his brain in order.</p><p>“Hey, Maka?” her head snapped up as if she had just remembered he was there.</p><p>“Yeah?” he could tell she was trying to act as natural as possible. In that moment he decided fake smiles didn’t suit her.</p><p>“You’re not going to ask any questions?” her head shook firmly.</p><p>“No. You will tell me if and when you want to.” she turned back to her food, sinking them back into silene.</p><p>  He knew it was stupid to burden her with his problems. There was no reason to explain anything. But something inside him urged him to do so. Something that trusted her to understand. Maybe he wanted comfort. Maybe he wanted someone to listen. He wasn’t sure, but the outcome was all the same.</p><p>“What you saw... Was another result of the witch’s curse.” The moment her eyes met his he knew he had her full attention. <em>She actually wants to listen... </em>The realization filed him with a sense of warmth and dread. <em>When was the last time someone listened?</em></p><p>“At first glane it doesn’t look like I was personally affected by the curse. At least not compared to the rest...” his voice trailed off as guilt started setting in. <em>What right do I have to complain? I am still human. This is completely insensitive to them... </em>He pushed the feelings away when he felt Maka’s hand on top of his, once again pulling him out of the dark corners of his mind. A smile appeared on his lips, her warmth giving him the strength to give voice to the demons that had been eating away at him for the last ten years.</p><p>“Music has always been the one thing I find comfort in. The only thing I’ve ever been good at.  Since that day, I haven’t been able to hear it.” Her eyes widened at his conffesion.</p><p>“So... When you play, you can’t hear the music?” he could see her resolve faltering as she continued.</p><p>“I’m quite certain that’s the reason she placed my father in the piano room. She crushed my one safe place, making sure she eliminated any sort of comfort I had. I cleary worked exactly like she wanted it to. My father has never been one to stay silent when he is dissapointed.” The smile on his face took him by surprise. It was almost as if her presence had lifted a previously impossible weight off of him. When he looked at her face again tears were sliding down her face. He gently brushed them away with his thumb feeling his own eyes watering at the sight of her distress.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Her arms wrapped around him pulling him closer, close enough to feel her heart beating against his chest.</p><p>
  <em>Dump. Dump. Dump.</em>
</p><p>  “You’re not alone anymore. We’re in this together.” her voice was stable, despite the tears streaming down her face.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>  They had both gone to sleep shortly after, both needing time for the events of the day to set in, unaware of what awaited them.</p><p> </p><p> “Soul! Wake up!” that morning he woke up to Maka shaking his shoulders, pealing his mountain of blankets off him.</p><p>“What happened?” his voice was still rough from sleep, his eyes still adjusting to the light as she pulled him off his bed with great urgency.</p><p>“I think I know how to break the curse!” her words hit him like frozen water.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Get ready and meet me in the dining room. Come on, chop chop!” she closed the door behind her, leaving him in suspense as he got ready before sprinting down the stairs.</p><p> She was pacing when he entered the room, untouched food sitting on the table.</p><p>“Speak.” Was all he could say, still breathless.</p><p>“I was thinking all night about what you said yesterday when it struck me. The way to break the curse must be related to music.” He looked at her quizicaly, the adrenaline slowly fading away, leaving him with confusion.</p><p>“Think about it. You are the only one here who is human here except me. Which makes you the only person who can play that piano no matter which you look at it. And her curse makes it considerably harder to play. Plus she made sure that the addition of your father in that room would only worsen your chances. Why else would she go out of her way to take music away from you if it wasn’t the solution to breaking the curse?” her words were rushed, her thoughts still clearly a mess, but they made sense.</p><p>“That could be it!” Blackstar jumped on the table, followed by Kid and Liz .</p><p>“It is a logical deduction.” Everyone seemed to accept her logic, excited voices filling the room.</p><p> Then every candle in the room burnt out, silencing everyone, the sound of slow clapping filling the room. Soul moved closer to Maka, reaching for her hand without thinking.</p><p>“Congratulations. I never thought you’d figure me out, Maka. Consider me impressed.” Soul felt his blood run cold, the voice sending chills down his spine. <em>No... It can’t be...</em></p><p> A figure slowly appered from the darkness of the corridor, the sound of her heels on the stone floors echoing through the silent room ,making every inch of him tremble.</p><p>“I am sorry to crush this very touching moment,  but I bring news. And an offer.” The witch appeared before them ,just as Soul remembered her. Maka squeezed his hand before stepping closer. He tried to pull her back, but she didn’t budge.</p><p>“What do you want?” she seemed to be the only one in the room not intimidating by her. The only one not cowering in fear.</p><p>“You’re a feisty one. I suppose that is why I chose you. You didn’t dissapoint. Which is why I’m here.” Maka’s hand never left Soul’s as she adressed the woman who put them in their prison.</p><p>“Your father was on his way here, but the cold seems to have gotten him. He won’t make it alone.” Determination was replaced by a mix of fear and anger as she run towards the witch, who dissapeared before Maka could reach her.</p><p>“What did you do to my father?” she reappeared on the steps of the corridor. Maka ran after her, pulling Soul behind her.</p><p>“I didn’t do anything. It was his love for you that brought him here. So I am offering you the chance to leave. As long as my dear Soul allows it, I will let you go and you won’t ever have to turn back.” Her eyes turned to him, the same look in her eyes as ten years ago, when she placed the fate of the people around him in his hands. Only this time his answer came to him easily.</p><p>“Let her go.” He could feel Maka’s eyes on him, begging him to take the words back.</p><p>“No! What about you! I can’t leave you here! I need you!” her yells were useless. Soul had made his decision.</p><p>“The choice has been made.”  The witch snapped her fingers, a sudden gush of wind opening the front doors, pushing Maka outside.</p><p>“I’ll find you soon! I promise! ” were Soul’s last words before Maka was pushed out, the doors closing firmly shut behind her. <em>I’ll be by your side again... I promise.  </em></p><p>“Sacrificing your freedom for her. I wouldn’t expect that. How intresting.” He shook his head, his voice calm as he spoke, looking her in the eye.</p><p>“I didn’t sacrifice anything. I made a promise. And I’m planning to keep it.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It took a while but it's finally here. I hope the next one doesn't take TOO long but I am working on a few other things so we'll see. Hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Beauty and The Beast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maka screamed and pounded on the door, pushing as hard as she could to no avail. The door wouldn’t budge and her thoughts were a jumbled mess. The witch’s words repeated in her head, over and over. He won’t make it alone. Her mind was a war zone, half screaming at her to run to her father’s side while the other flashed her images of Soul, alone and frightened. <br/> She didn’t know how long she stood there, completely detached from reality until she started shivering, only then realizing how cold it was. She needed to make a decision. <br/>“I’ll come back for you. I promise…” she turned away and sprinted to mount her horse, barely touching the saddle before setting off, riding as fast as she could. <br/>“Papa?” she screamed as she rode, looking at her surroundings for any sign of him, silentely wishing she wasn’t too late.</p>
<p> She had almost lost hope, her legs ached and her hands were freezing, barely able to hold on to the reins when she saw it. A hint of red. Her blood run cold as she pursued it, scared she was imagined it when she saw him. Her father, lying on the snow, his eyes closed. She jumped off, almost losing her balance as she kneeled by his side, grateful to see he was still breathing.<br/>“Papa! Wake up!” she shook him but his eyes only flickered open briefly before closing once again. It took all her strength to lift him enough to carry him away, her arms tightly wrapped around  him, trying her hardest not to give away from the weight.<br/>“Just a little more.” Her body ached by the time she managed to get him on the saddle. Despite her freezing limbs, she removed her coat, draping it over him before taking the reins in her hand and slowly leading them towards the village.  </p>
<p> She only let herself relax once she and her father where in front of a burning fire, fur blankets around both of them. He hadn’t woken up at all during their ride home, his eyes only opening once his body approached a healthy temperature again. <br/>“Papa? Are you okay? Do you need something? Are you cold?” her head shook frantically as she looked around for anything she could give him. Her father’s head shook in denial.<br/>“Relax Maka… I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.  What happened?” his skin still retained a purple tint yet all his attention was directed at her. The worry she had caused him weighed heavily on her but she couldn’t find it in her to regret any of the past week’s events. Soul’s face disappearing behind the heavy doorway replayed in her head, haunting her as she looked at the flames dancing in front of her, momentarily forgetting about her father’s question. <br/>“Maka?” his voice brought her back to reality , glancing down at the teacup in her hands, her knuckles white from where she had been clutching it. She set it on the table beside her before turning to face him. <br/>“I… I went looking for you… I received a letter telling me you had been kidnapped… Turns out it was just a witch playing games…” confusion was written all over his face as he tried to digest her words.<br/>“A… What?” it was hard for her to suppress a laugh as she looked at her words through a third eye.<br/>“I know it sounds crazy. But a witch led me to cursed mansion.” Soul’s face appeared in front of her again, shaking, too far gone in the memories of his past, alone once again. Her legs shot up, earning another look of shock from her father. <br/>“Maka? Are you okay?”  The cogs in her head where already turning as she scrambled around the house, looking for anything she might need for her insane plan.            <br/>“I need to save him.” Her whole body was protesting but the adrenaline kept the pain in check.<br/>“Maka, relax. Tell me what’s going on.” Her brain barely registered his words as she threw on her coat and her riding boots, only stopping when her father’s hand wrapped around her wrist, his grip weak, but firm.<br/>“Talk to me.” It was as if those three words had lifted the spell that had been keeping her running, her brain suddenly on fire, her entire body shaking as it entered flight mode.<br/>“Maka! Maka are you okay?” and then the word went dark.</p>
<p> For the next few days she slipped in and out of consciousness as her body slowly returned to a healthy rhythm. When at last she opened her eyes properly the head ache had sub sided. Spirit had almost fallen unconscious himself when he saw her sitting up.<br/>“Y-You’re awake.” He had run up to her, knocking a few books in the process and thrown his arms around her, so tight as if he was afraid she might slip away.  <br/>“I’m sorry for worrying you.” Tears slid down his face as he looked her over, making sure she was still intact. <br/>“I-I was so scared when you collapsed… I looked for help- thankfully mr Stein saw me-a good man that one.”  He took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down.<br/>“I’m right here dad. “ <br/>“I need to know what happened to you. You were gone for a week, I didn’t know what to think. Everyone was out looking for you.<br/>“It’s a long story.” And so they steeped some tea and she told him everything, about the witch and the castle… and Soul. He only spoke up once she was done. <br/>“This doesn’t make any sense…” she had expected this reaction. She wouldn’t have believed herself if she was in his shoes.                              <br/>“I need to you to believe me… I need to save Soul.”The disbelief was evident in his eyes, but she needed this. She needed to convince him. For Kid, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, Star and Soul. Her first real friends.<br/>“What do you need me to do?” relief washed over her. Now she only needed to convince the rest of the villagers.</p>
<p> Everyone was starring at them, whispering as they walked through town. It wasn’t anything new, but she seemed to have fallen out of touch with her reality before Soul. Despite that, she held her head high as they approached the tavern. <br/>“Be careful in there.” Spirit placed an assuring hand on her shoulder, clearly struggling internally with his decision to let her go through with this. She gave him a confident smile before turning on her heel and pushing the door open.<br/> When she stepped inside the dim room all heads turned their way.<br/>“Maka! It’s great to see you back to full health.” Hiro approached her, stomping heavily on the wooden floor. <br/>Yes. Thank you. “Her hand felt heavily inclined to wipe the smug grin off his face, but she needed his help.  She turned to everyone else in the room, their attention back to the bowls of beer in front of them.<br/>“I need your help.” The men barely turned their heads. She sighed, stepping further inside, feelings Hiro’s curious eyes on her.<br/>“I need men! Are any of you willing to help? Or would you rather sit here and drink in the safety of this rotting tavern, sharing stories of a war you were never brave enough to fight?” that seemed to get their attention, most responding to her baiting by booing in her general direction. But she didn’t need them to like her. <br/>“What exactly is it that you need help with?” Hiro stepped next to her, an amused smile playing on his lips. Despite knowing it would make it harder to get his help, she couldn’t bring herself to regret the day she punched him.<br/>“There is a man, trapped in the depth of the woods in an old mansion under a curse of a witch. I need your help to free him. “Laughter erupted, making her blood boil as she pictured Soul’s face, still trapped in time.<br/>“You can laugh all you want, but I’m telling you the truth. Unless you’d rather call it all lies because you are too cowardly to do something about it.  She knew where to hit, what to say to hurt their ego.  <br/>“This is not a matter of fear. What proof do you have of this man and witch?” she had to restrain herself from kicking Hiro in the shin.<br/>“You don’t trust my word, Hiro?” he took a step closer, his face inches from hers. She wanted to walk away, to leave the tavern, to ride away and never come back, but she stood her ground. <br/>“Life has taught me not to trust the words of women like you. “The way he spat out the word women made her want to spit in his face. Multiple insults crossed her mind. Pig. Gadfly.Scum. She decided against voicing any of them.  <br/>“And life had taught me to stay away from men like you. All bark and no bite. But I need your help.”  She couldn’t keep the venom from her voice. They only starred at each other for some time, no one making a sound, until he finally spoke up.<br/>“If I help you, I need you to promise me something. I can’t be giving out my time with no price now, can I?” she had been expecting this, but if she didn’t already think so low of him, he would have fallen floors in her eyes.<br/>“How much will it be?” his smile widened, taking a step back to adress the rest of the crowd.<br/>“If I help you, you will give me your hand in marriage.” Her eyes widened, completely taken aback by his demand. She decided he was worse than she ever could have thought.<br/>“Don’t be ridiculous. Name your price.” His laughter was like nails on a chalkboard.<br/>“I just did. If you’re not so eager to help this man, then you can go off on your merry way.” She would have done just that if it wasn’t for her last moments with Soul replaying in her mind. He was using her tactics against her. And in the end, it worked. She hated him. She despised him. But she cared for Soul more. <br/>“All right.” he hadn’t been expected that. Everyone’s jaws were hanging open, observing her as if she had suddenly grown horns.<br/>“You realize what you are saying, right?” her stomach turned upside down as she faced the men, finding it hard to breathe. <br/>“I promise, if you help me free my friend, I will give you my hand.” The words barely left her mouth without a gag, stable despite her lungs feeling rapidly pressured by an invisible force. I’d rather cut my hand off and give that to you. It took a few moments for the grin to return to his face. <br/>“Well then, men. You heard the lady! Move your legs!” the speed at which they followed his command startled her. She knew he was influential, but it still made her skin crawl, thinking about the things he must’ve done to earn their devotion. She couldn’t help but flinch when she felt his arm around her shoulders. <br/>“You have nothing to fear now that you’re under my care. Maybe you’ll learn some discipline too.”  His voice sent chills down her spine but he had already moved away before she could protest.  And what would she say? Soul’s life depended on this promise.  “I’ll find you soon. I promise.”<br/>“Shall we get going?” she stepped into the cold night air, not looking back as she mounted her horse. She pushed all thoughts of Hiro out, focusing only on her goal.<br/>“Please come home safely.” She gave her father one last smile before riding away, never looking back. She needed to do this or she would never forgive herself.   <br/> When the mansion came into view Maka’s ears where ringing, barely registering any conversation unfolding behind her. Faint gasps echoed through the woods as the villagers realized she hadn’t gone mad. <br/>“This is it.” The memories of her time with Soul flooded back, threatening to pull her in before she could accomplish her goal. She shook her head, turning to face Hiro.<br/>“We’re here.” His amused expression had been replaced by intrigue as he looked over the building, slowly inching closer before abandoning his horse. <br/>“It’s magnificent.” After what felt like hours of him simply admiring the structure, he turned to face his men, looking more determined than she’d ever seen him.<br/>“Let’s go.” She walked next to him, her head rushing with adrenaline but her legs holding their own. <br/> Hiro approached the front door with caution, observing it carefully before slamming against it, the doors flying open. <br/>“W-what?” dread overtook her as she peeked into the dark corridor. The door shouldn’t have opened so easily and it shouldn’t have been this quiet. Hiro was the first inside, seemingly oblivious to the danger they were stepping into. Her heart raced as she followed after him, wishing that they weren’t too late.<br/>“Soul? Soul, can you hear me? Kid? Star?” only her voice bounced around the room, the sound of the men’s boots on the concrete closing in behind them. Every possible outcome played in her head. Maybe they were too late. Maybe the witch had cast a spell on her so she could never come back to him. Her heart beat so loudly she thought the sound would reach every corner of the corridor.<br/>“It seems there’s no one here. I think this is the end of your game. Now let us-“ Hiro never finished his sentence. Every candle in flickered to life, the flames dancing around the room, painting it with an unnatural shade of blue. <br/>“What the hell?” panic took the room as everyone looked to find the source. Maka felt the fear Soul must have felt that day. History was repeating itself. But it wouldn’t end the way the witch wanted. <br/>“Show yourself.” Her footsteps filled the silence as she stepped through the shadows, just as she had that day.<br/>“I see you came back after all. I might have underestimated you.” Maka didn’t let her eyes drift away for a moment as she looked the woman in the eye. She refused to back down, determined to save him despite the danger. <br/>“What have you done to Soul?” she stepped forward, putting distance between her and the men. This wasn’t their fight to win. <br/>“He promised you he would find you, did he not? I just gave him a little push.” Maka found it increasingly difficult to keep herself calm as she looked around the space for any signs of her friends. She wasn’t going to get her answers simply standing on the hall. Soul was all that mattered. <br/>It  was surprisingly easy for her to walk past the witch and up the grand staircase.<br/>“Don’t think I would make it so easy for you… I admire your courage, but this isn’t a fairytale and you are no hero. “A strong gust of wind blew toward them, spreading the flames , forming a wall between them and all possible escape routes.<br/>“What do you want, witch?” It was the first time Hiro spoke up since the witch appeared, his presence almost forgotten.<br/>“Aren’t you a brave one? Or perhaps foolish.” Wind continued to push them toward the centre of the room as the floor begun to fall apart, opening to reveal the void underneath.<br/>“No!” Maka’s hands reached out, trying to grab something to hold on to, using every bit of strength in her body trying to stay as far away from certain death as possible. People were screaming around her as they tried to hold on to their lives.<br/>“You might be stronger than I thought.” And then the wind ceased and her legs gave away, her body landing hard on the floor. She tried to calm her breathing as she braced herself for the witch’s next trick. She needed to get closer to Soul.  When a howl sounded she couldn’t help but curse. Two beasts appeared in front of them, barking but making no move to attack. <br/>“They are waiting for my command, Maka. This is your decision. You can either leave now, safe to return to your home, or I can unleash them now and give you a taste of what it means to cross a witch. Will you sacrifice the safety of your people for a boy forgotten by history?” all eyes were on her, urging her to make a decision.<br/>“Maka, don’t tell me you are actually considering this? Let’s go home!” it was selfish. It was cruel. It was unfair. <br/>“Try me.” Chaos erupted. Men were screaming, swords were clashing, and the fire was slowly expanding. She needed to move fast.<br/>“Soul!” She run up the stairs, barely dodging a falling spike. Everything depended on this gamble. If Soul couldn’t break the curse men would die and their blood would be on her hands.  <br/> She couldn’t keep herself from looking back when she heard a growl behind her, quickly getting closer. A wolf was running toward her at an impossible speed. A scream escaped her as she threw her body toward the wall, barely dodging the monster’s fangs. Her back ached where it had met with the wall, making it difficult to stand upright. Not like this… It was circling around her, slowly backing her into a corner with no escape. Not now .Not before I save them. She gathered all the strength left in her body and jumped up, running away as fast as she could. It wouldn’t be possible for her to outrun it for long. She needed to outsmart it. <br/>“Come at me!” she didn’t know if her plan would work but she wouldn’t die without putting up a fight. <br/>“Come at me!” she made a sharp turn, relieved to see one of the many balconies of the mansion. She threw open the doors, barely preventing herself from falling off the railing. It seemed she had learned something since that day. Her legs almost froze in place when she turned around, facing the beast head on, only steps away. Her life depended on her timing. When it lunged toward her, she jumped out of the way, landing on the stone with a thud. The wolf’s growl faded away as it fell into the void. Her head was threatening to black out. Stars were filling her vision, but she refused to let herself give up now, after all she went through to get here. So she pulled herself up, took a few deep breaths and set off.<br/>“Soul!” her entire body was on fire as she raced against the clock towards the one room she could imagine he could be. <br/>“Maka!” It was faint at first, but it gradually grew closer. He was alive. He was okay. <br/>“Soul!” when she made it to the door she pushed and punched, unable to make it budge. <br/>“What are you doing here?” His voice was like a beacon of hope, shining bright, showing her the way. She needed to see him again. <br/>“I said I’d come back for you!” her eyes landed on one of the torches screwed on the wall. She grabbed it with no hesitation, pointing it toward the door. <br/>“You were supposed to leave!” his voice was rough but it only held love like she had never felt before. <br/>“Not without you! Step back!” the moment the fire came in contact with the wooden door, it spread, eating it away, ashes flying around them.<br/>“Be careful!” the flames were still between them, but she could make out his frightened face on the other side.<br/>“Soul!” she looked over the fire, looking for the perfect moment to cross. <br/>“Don’t, it’s too dangerous!” he must have realized her intentions, but it didn’t matter. <br/> She took the leap. <br/> By the time she stood upright again Soul had thrown his arms around her, holding onto her as if scared she would disappear if he didn’t. <br/>“I’m okay. I’m right here.” The moment didn’t last long as the floor rumbled from under them, parts of the ceiling collapsing only steps away from them. <br/>“Crap!” she could barely hear anything over the sound of the building collapsing around them.<br/>“Soul! Finish the finale!” he nodded before turning to the piano, still perfectly intact, in complete contrast to the room around them. The floor collapsed behind him the moment he sat on the stool.<br/>“Soul!” he didn’t respond, placing his fingers on the keys. Then music filled the room. It was as if the sound of the keys had stopped time itself. Her breath caught in her throat as the mournful melody engulfed her. Nothing else matter but the music. It felt like a spell had been cast on her, a spell she didn’t care to lift.<br/> When his hands landed on the final minor, the sound slowly fading away, there was silence. He lifted his hands as if he only then came back to himself.<br/>“I did it.” The flow of time caught up on her, finally allowing her to breath. <br/>“You did.” It took a few minutes of silence for them to realize what happened. <br/>“We did it!” he stood up, jumping over the void, the fear of his fall sending her heart to the moon and back. When he stood in front of her, she almost wanted to slap him for putting himself in so much danger so recklessly. But she couldn’t pretend that she was any better.<br/>“Welcome home.” Those words snapped her final straw, tears sliding down her face, her body falling limp on Soul, his arms wrapping around her, making her feel safer than ever before. <br/>A gunshot fired, the smell of iron filling the air.<br/>“Soul?” his smile was weak before he collapsed in front of her. <br/>“Soul!” her ears were ringing, her body shaking vigorously, her hands covered in blood, Soul’s blood, so much blood. <br/>“No… No!” Her eyes finally found Hiro, standing on the doorway, gun in hand. <br/>“You…” she lost her control, all sense pushed away. <br/>“Monster!” His weapon was still pointed at her, an unnatural glint in his eyes. <br/>“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You brought us here to die! And all of this for this boy?” tears wouldn’t stop falling from her eyes, but she couldn’t see anything but Soul’s blood on her hands.  <br/> Hiro stepped closer, not taking his eyes off of her. <br/>“This is where your fairytale ends.” The ground shook. Hiro lost his footing and then he was falling right in front of her. <br/>“Maka…” Her head snapped back to Soul. She could feel his life slip away from her hands, his skin growing colder.<br/>“Thank you.” When his eyes closed, Maka felt her heart break. She wept and wept, unable to stop, to say something, to bring him back.<br/>“I’m sorry… Don’t leave me! I love you!” the tears wouldn’t bring him back, but it was impossible for her to stop.<br/>“You two really are a pair.” Maka almost thought she imagined it when the Witch appeared in front of her.<br/>“What more could you want? There’s nothing left for you to take!” but the ground wasn’t crumbling and the witch wasn’t smiling.<br/>“There may be some hope for humans after all.” was all she said before disappearing. Soul’s coughing brought her back to reality. Neither knew what had happened, but they were together and they were alive.<br/>“Soul!” she pressed her lips to his, not caring for anything but the feeling of him alive and in her arms. When they broke apart they were both panting. <br/>“Take it easy. I almost died.” They laughed like children, both a complete mess.<br/>“Master!” Two men stepped inside, closely followed by two girls who looked like sisters and a tall lean girl, all wearing worried expressions on their faces.<br/>“Hey guys.” Maka helped Soul up, only to be pulled toward the group in a tight embrace. She thought this must be what it’s like to have a place to belong.<br/>“You did it! You broke the curse!” there was a lot of laughing and tears and yelling, making her forget all about her aching muscles.<br/>“Is everyone safe?” her heart raced as she waited for a response. <br/>“A far as we could tell no one was seriously injured during the attack. There’s a pretty big crowd out there.” She knew the confrontation would be complicated, but they had been through worse.<br/>“You did it, son.” All eyes turned to Edward Evans, now standing behind them.<br/>“Dad?” Soul’s shoulders stiffened, but his father threw his arms around him, slowly making him relax. <br/>“You’ve made us proud.” Soul nodded once, still in shock that he was reunited with his family, clearly unsure of how to feel.<br/>“Should we go?” Maka offered him her hand and he took it with no hesitation.<br/>“Let’s.” </p>
<p> Memories slowly returned to the people, making the events make much more sense than before. It had taken a few weeks to get the village back into working order and the mansion in proper shape, but in the end, they made it. She would never forget the moment Soul and Wes reunited. They would both deny it, but a lot of tears were shed. </p>
<p>“Where to next?” they danced around the spacious room, everyone around them smiling happily. A ball was the last place she had ever pictured herself, let alone one for her own wedding, but she didn’t mind it. Being with the people who cared for her was better than she had ever imagined. She looked into Soul’s eyes, unable to stop smiling.<br/>“Anywhere.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm sorry it took so long, but here it is! Thank you to everyone who went on this journey with me, i truly appreciate it. I hope this was a good finale (get it?)(I'll show myself out).<br/>❤️❤️❤️<br/>Hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you enjoyed! The next chapter will hopefully drop soon.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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